Horizon Neighbors in Health Program Supports Struggling Families

Published Date: Jul 18, 2022

June (not her real name) and her family faced multiple hardships. Her husband was in hospice care at home. Home nursing care was unreliable, and June couldn't help her husband alone. She also was experiencing her own health issues and one of her children was dealing with emotional issues.

In stepped Horizon Neighbors in Health Program , which helped the family get the support it needed. Sabrina Jarmolinski, Personal Health Assistant with the program, called June after getting a referral about the family. Sabrina actively listened to June’s concerns during each engagement and through some shared common life experiences, they established a trusting bond.

Sabrina reached out to June weekly to help her work through challenges including getting answers to insurance related questions, coordinating care for June her family and finding solutions for non-medical related problems. Sabrina was able to connect June with the people and resources who could help.

“Working with the family was tough emotionally because they were going through so much,” Sabrina said. “But it's rewarding and fulfilling that I can have such an impact on someone's life that is going through such hardships.”

Data from the Neighbors in Health Program shows that a person's zip code, or environment and circumstances, is the overall predictor of someone's health, rather than family history, Sabrina explains.

“Our program looks at everything that makes up well-being,” Sabrina said. “That's why it's so innovative and impactful. It's a wonderful program.”

Helping Members with More than Just Health Care

Horizon Neighbors in Health helps at-risk members achieve better health by connecting them with support services. Launched in 2020, the program helps people facing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) issues such as housing, education, financial stability, behavioral health, substance use, lack of transportation to and from doctor's visits and other hardships. Horizon's personal care assistants listen to members' concerns, and help them get the most from their benefits and link them to community resources.

For June and her family, this meant:

• Getting referrals for behavioral health services and specialty care
• Enrolling one of her children in Horizon's Away From Home Care
• Connecting her to Prime Therapeutics LLC, Horizon's Pharmacy benefit manager, for medication support
• Ensuring her husband received support services he needed

June is grateful for the support she received from this program and says she felt hopeless before the Horizon Neighbors in Health Program helped.

“I feel like you really care and you're always willing to go above and beyond for us,” June said. “You have no idea how hard it's been for us. Knowing that someone truly cares, means the world to us.”

Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes, and Horizon Neighbors in Health is here for members who require more than health care.